BFI Distribution has acquired U.K. & Ireland rights for Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut The Chronology of Water following its buzzy festival tour kicking off with its premiere in Cannes Un Certain Regard in May.
“Heaps of gratitude to the British Film Institute for helping us bring The Chronology of Water to audiences in the UK. It’s a joy to even be associated with an institution that supports and maintains the thing we love most… independence and expression via the silver screen,” said Stewart in response to the acquisition.
Based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir and adapted for the screen by Stewart, The Chronology of Water is the portrait of a woman who, after an abusive childhood, escapes into competitive swimming, sexual experimentation, toxic relationships, and addiction before finding her voice through writing.
The film stars Imogen Poots as Yuknavitch, in what critics have hailed as a revelatory performance. She is joined by Jim Belushi, Thora Birch, Charlie Carrick, Susannah Flood, Kim Gordon, and Tom Sturridge.
“Kristen Stewart’s career has been studded with daring choices. Behind the camera for her first feature, she delivers a powerfully unapologetic, courageous film. At BFI Distribution we were utterly impressed by her formal direction and by the intensity of feeling that it conveys. Imogen Poots’ blazing,” said Laura Dos Santos, BFI Head of Acquisitions.
Following its presentation in Cannes, the film which is sold internationally by Paris-based Les Films du Losange, also sold to Benelux (O’Brother), Germany and Austria (Eksystent), Spain (Sideral), Italy (Wanted), Portugal ( Leopardo Filmes), MCF in the Former Yugoslavia (MCF), Hungary (Bem Mozi), the Baltic States (Kino Pavasaris), Poland (So Films), Ukraine ( Svoekino) in and Romania (Voodoo) in Romania.
Beyond Europe, the film will reach audiences in the CIS via Forma Pro, Brazil through Grupo Estação, Central America via Cineplex, South Korea with Pancinema, and Indonesia through PT Falcon.
The Chronology of Water already won two prizes : the Revelation Prize in Deauville FF and the Grand Prix at Cinefest in Hungary.
The film has also been selected for a host of international film festivals, including the BFI Film Film (which Kristen Stewart will attend), New Horizons in Poland, Melbourne in Australia, Middle Art Festival in the Czech Republic, Helsinki in Finland, Oldenburg in Germany, and Busan in South Korea, further highlighting its global resonance.
The film is produced by Charles Gillibert (CG Cinema International); Yulia Zayceva, Max Pavlov and Svetlana Punte (Forma Pro Films); Ridley Scott, Michael Pruss and Rebecca Feuer (Scott Free); and Kristen Stewart, Maggie McLean and Dylan Meyer (Nevermind Pictures) and Andy Mingo.
In association with Scott Aharoni, Alihan Yalcindag, and Sinan Eczacibasi for Curious Gremlin; Christian Vesper for Fremantle; Yan Vizinberg, Abigail Honor and Chris Cooper for Lorem Ipsum Entertainment; Mélanie Biessy for Scala Films.
As previously announced, the film’s U.S. release will be by The Forge and French release by Les Films du Losange.
